Couch



(o Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. VAN W. WICKS.

GOUGH.

Patentedp. 28, 1896.

W/TNESSES.'

TTOH/VEYS.

`(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2,

R. VAN W. WIGKS. GUGH PatentedApr.' 28, 1896 wlr/vsssgs:

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD VAN VIKE VICKS, OF BROGKLYN, NEYV YORK.

COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 559,242, dated April28, 1896.

Application filed 311110 29,1895- To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD VAN WIKE WICKS, of Brooklyn, in the countyofKings and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Couches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in couches, and especially tothat class of couches capable of being manipulated to place the body ina reclining, an upright, or a partially-upright position; and the objectof this invention is to so construct the couch that it will require butslight exertion on the part of the occupant to assume any positiondesired, and whereby when the couch has been placed in the desiredposition it will be flrmlylocked, thelocking beingautomaticallyaccomplished, and whereby also when the couch is in areclining position the mattress will be under tension, as will likewisebe the case when the head-section is in an elevated position.

Another object of this invention is to construct a couch of the abovecharacter in an exceedingly simple and economic manner, and to providethe couch with a head-rest or pillow which will so follow the positionof the head-section of the couch when raised or lowered as toaccommodate the head of the occupant in an exceedingly comfortablemanner, the pillow being practically self-adjust- Ing.

Another object of the invention is to construct the bed-frame of thecouch in such a way that in breaking the frame or elevating thehead-section the fulcrum will be above and to the rear of the pivot ofthe said section, the tension devices drawing from the fulcrum and notfrom the pivot, thus enabling the intermediate section of the couchframeto drop where it connects with the headsection and form a cavity inwhich the body may comfortably rest.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying` drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved Serial No. 554,435. (No model.)

couch, illustrating it in horizontal position. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section through the couch when in horizontal position. Fig.3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the couch, showing thehead-section elevated.f Fig. 4L is a detail sectional view of a portionof the head-section and the pillow applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a detailview of that portion of the bed-frame where the members are hinged t0-gether, illustrating the operation of the latch; and Fig. 6 is anoutside view of that portion shown in Fig. 5, illustrating a slightmodification in the bed-frame.

In carrying out the invention a base-frame A is provided, which may beof any desired shape and comprises side pieces lO, connected usually atthe ends and at the center by crossbars 11, placed at the bottomof theframe, and the frameis supported bylegs 12 or their equivalents. Thebase-frame is open at its ends and is intended to support what may betermed the bed-frame B. rlhis frame is of greater length than thebase-frame and is made in three sectionsa foot-section b, anintermediate or seat section b', and a head-section b2, the intermediatesection being shorter than either of the others. Each section of thebed-frame comprises side pieces 13, connected at the bottom by crossbars15, and at the outer extremity of the head and the foot sections endboards or bars 14 are provided.

The head-section at the lower portion of its inner end is connected withthe base-frame by pivots 16, upon which the said head-section rocks,enabling it to be carried from a horizontal to practically a verticalposition or any point between these two, and the intermediate section bof the bed-frame is connected at its ends by hinges 17 with both thefoot and the head sections of the said bed-frame. The inner` end 1S ofthe head-section is beveled preferably downwardly in direction of thefootsection, and the forward or head end 1S of the intermediatebed-section is correspondingly beveled, as illustrated best in Figs. 2and 5, while the opposing ends 19 and .2O of the intermediate and thefoot sections of the bed-frame are beveled downwardly in oppositedirections, so as to form a much wider space between them than betweenthe ends 18 and 18% Thus the intermediate section IOO is somewhatwedge-shaped, and since its rear end is located over the centralcross-bar of the base-frame, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, itsfront end is unsupported at the bottom, enabling this portion of theintermediate section to drop, assuming a downwardly and forwardlyinclined position when the headesection is raised from the horizontal,as shown in Fig The hinged connection between the upper forward end ofthe intermediate or seat section of the bed-frame and the upper innerend of the head-section of the said frame is rearward and above thepivot 16 of the headsection, and the said hinge 17 virtually becomes thefulcrum when the head-section is raised, and the sections are placedunder proper tension in a horizontal or in other positions in which theymay be placed by means of springs 21, which are secured to the rearbottom portion of the base-frame and to the forward or inner bottomportion of the footsection of the bed-frame. It will be observed that byplacing the forward hinge in the position heretofore described the saidsprings draw from said hinge and not from the pivot 16 of thehead-section. Thus when the sections of the bed-frame are in ahorizontal position the springs 21 will be placed under their utmosttension and the sections will be held in this position, especially whena lock is provided, to be hereinafter described, and when this lock isremoved from locking en gagement with abutting sections the spring 21will serve to elevate the head-section, depressing the forward end ofthe intermediate or seat section of the bed-frame, being assisted by the.movement of the body, since the pivotpoint of the body will beimmediately over the forward hinge 17.

A mattress C, of spring-supported slats, woven wire, or of anywell-known construction, is secured firmly at its ends to the endportions of the bed-frame, and this mattress is made practically in twosections 22 and 22, as shown in Fig. 1, the section 2L*L extending fromthe foot-board of the foot-section of the bed-frame to the forward hingein the said frame, and the other section 22 extends from the head-boardof the head-section to the said hinge, and at this point the twosections of the mattress are connected by hinges 23, or are pivotallyconnected in any approved manner, causing the mattress to readily breakat the point where the head-section rises at an angle to theintermediate section of the bedframe.

The locking device heretofore referred to preferably consists oflatch-bars 24, which are pivoted on the pivot-pin 16, pivoting theheadsection of the bed-frame to the base-frame, and each latch-bar isprovided, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, with a series of notches orrecesses 25 in its under edge, the said recesses or notches beingadapted to receive lugs or keepers 26, secured upon one of the crossbarsof the intermediate bed-frame section h.

These latches serve to hold the bed-frame in any position in which itssections may be placed relatively to one another, and it may here bestated that the foot-section-always remains horizontal and that both thefoot and the intermediate sections of the bed-frame have slidingmovement in the base-frame. The latches will drop through gravity, andare preferably raised by journaling on the forward cross-bar of theintermediate bedframe section a shaft 26, having crank-arms 27 at itsends, adapted to extend beneath the free ends of the latch-bars 24, andone of these crank-arms, preferably the right-hand one, is given aninward curve 2S at its free end, so as to clear the latch-bar with whichit is to engage, and a cord 29, or its equivalent, is attached to thiscurved extremity and carried up from suitable friction-rollers 30 withinconvenient reach of the occupant of the couch, being usually led upalong the side of the head-section of the bed-frame.

The head-section of the bed-frame is provided with anautomatically-operated pillow, adapted to follow the movement of thebody and place itself in position to comfortably support the head, nomatter at what angle the head-section is raised or whether or not it bein a horizontal plane. In providing for the adjustable pillow a track 31is secured upon the upper surface of the side bars of the head-sectionof the bed-frame, being provided with a longitudinal groove 31, and inthe groove of each track a slack wire 32 or its equivalent is placed,and the ends of the wire, together with the ends of the track, aresecured on the bed-frame by clips 33, of any approved construction. Eachwire is crossed upon itself and made to enter a peripheral groove in awheel 34, one of these wheels being held to travel upon each track 31,and these wheels are securely connected to a shaft 35, upon which shafta pillow 36, of any approved construction, is pivoted. Therefore it willbe observed that, the head of the occupant being on this pillow, if thehead-section is raised or lowered the pillow will naturally follow thehead of the occupant, rolling upward or downward on the saidhead-section, as required, and thus enabling the occupant to keep thehead always on the pillow, which is of great importance when the couchis occupied by an invalid. The dropping of the intermediate section ofthe bed-frame forms a somewhat rounded or inclined surface at the rearhinge 17 in the bed-frame, and conforms, therefore, to a comfortableposition of the limbs.

It is evident that by simply manipulating the cord 29 to release or todrop the latches the springs 21, in conjunction with the weight of thebody over the fulcrum 17, will bring about a quick response on the partof the intermediate and head sections of the bed-frame to assume anyposition sought to be attained by the occupant of the couch.

ln Fig. 6 I have illustrated a slight modifi IOC) IIO

cation in the construction of the bed-frame, in which the side bars areof practically the same height as the side bars of the base-frame. Inthe other form heretofore described these side bars are shown wider.This narrowing of the side bars of the bed-frame is carried out in thefoot-section only and partially in the intermediate section, the latterbeing inclined upward to meet the head-section, in which the wide sidebars are retained. Therefore the spring-mattress under this constructionwill be above the major portion of the bedeframe and will serve as acushion at the sides thereof.

I-Iaving thusfully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a couch, abaseframe, and a bed-frameconsisting of a head, a foot and an intermediate section, the sides ofthe head-section being pivoted near their lower rear portions to thesides of the base-frame, the intermediate section being hinged at theupper portion of its ends to both the head and the foot sections, thehinged connection between the intermediate section and the head-sectionbeing located at the upper part of the opposing ends of the saidsections and above the pivot-point of the head-section, as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a couch, a base-frame, a bed-frame constructed in sections, thehead-section be ing pivoted to the base-frame and the other sectionshaving sliding spring controlled movement upon the base-frame, all thesections having a hinged connection, and the hinged connection betweenthe intermediate and head sections being above the pivot of the latterand serving asa fulcrum in the operation of the head-section, as and forthe purpose specified. 4

3. In a couch, a base-frame, a bed-frame consisting of an intermediate,a foot and a head section, the head-section having pivotal engagementwith the base-frame, the sections being hinged together at the upperportion of their abutting ends, the hinge between the intermediate andhead sections being above the pivot of the head-section, the saidintermediate section being capable of dropping at its forward end whenthe head-section is elevated, and a spring connected with the baseframeand the bed-frame, as and 'for the pur- 'bed-frame being constructed insections, the

head-section having pivotal engagement with the base-frame and the othersections having sliding movement in the said frame, the end of theintermediate section opposed to the head-section being capable ofdropping downwardly, a hinged connection between the upper abuttingportions of the bed-frame sections, the hinges being above and to therear of the pivotof the head-section, the spring controlling thebed-frame drawing from the forward hinge which serves as a fulcrum, and

a locking device, substantially as described, for maintaining thesections in the desired position, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a couch, a pivoted head section, wheels held to travel on the saidsection, cables attached at their ends to the sections and passed aroundthe wheels, and a pillow supported between the said wheels, as and forthe purpose specified.

7. In a couch, a pivoted head -section, wheels held to travel on thesaid section, cables attached at their ends to the sections and passedaround the wheels, and a connection between the wheels and a pillowpivoted on the said connecting medium, as and for the purpose specified.

S. In a couch, a pivoted head-section, a pillow, and a rolling supportupon which the said pillow is pivoted, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a couch, the combination with a supporting-frame, and the pivotedhead-section of the bed-frame, of a pillow, a rolling support to whichthe said pillow is pivoted, and guides Afor the said rolling support,the said guides serving likewise as tension devices, as and for thepurpose specified.

RICHARD VAN VVIKE VIGKSL Witnessesz FRED. ACKER, JN0. M. RITTER.

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